The Squamish Indian Band is getting $92.5 million from Ottawa to settle a long-standing expropriation fight. The band launched the legal action in 1977 over 600 hectares of land in Kitsilano, North Vancouver and Squamish.

Some of the parcels are now prime real estate and popular parks. They include:

  • Kits Point at the south end of the Burrard Bridge which includes Vanier Park

  • Klahanie Park along the west side of the Capilano River in North Vancouver.
Squamish Chief Gibby Jacob says the money will go into a trust.

"We have many different allowable expenditures under the proposed trust agreement," he says. "There are things like housing, education, the many social programs we run on behalf of our membership, and things like our elders' extended health-care facility."

Squamish Band members vote on the offer next month. The Squamish are still pursuing a larger and separate aboriginal land claim with the federal and B.C. governments.